


People in Glass Houses Sink Ships

by Jethro



Category: Criminal Minds, NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-04 09:12:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1773691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jethro/pseuds/Jethro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid begins speaking with a beautiful woman who can dance while playing the violin. How does NCIS fit in? read to find out. Reid-centric</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

A tall lanky man is pacing in his living room on a lazy sunday afternoon. He is reading at an astounding speed, much faster than any ordinary human could. What would take many hours stretched across days, if not weeks, only takes this young man mere minutes. Every single wall of the living room is dominated by bookcases and yet there are stacks upon stacks of books on the coffee table, entertainment center and even the floor. 

Suddenly the sounds of a violin playing a song from the 'The Phantom of the Opera' are heard through the open window. Upon hearing this, the man stops his voracious reading and listens. The hint of a beginning of smile starts to play at the corners of his mouth until finally he is smiling like the Cheshire Cat from 'Alice in Wonderland' at the beauty of the sounds coming from a talented artist using a wood string instrument. 

The man can’t help himself but be drawn to the open window and look for the source. Looking down into the courtyard below, the man is disappointed in not finding the source. But a few seconds later he is looking across the courtyard at the apartment directly across from him. There is an open window, but the man can’t see inside and thus unable to determine if the source is from the open window.

Slowly a form begins to appear in the shadows of the window, and the form is moving, as if playing the violin itself. That’s when the man realizes that the form is playing the violin and the sound isn’t coming from a recording which pleases the man very much. The man is surprised even more when the form comes into the sunlight pouring in from the window. A young woman is playing the violin and she is stunning. 

The young lady is unaware of the audience she has captured in the form of the man across the courtyard. The man is disappointed because she does not stay in view for him to gaze at. Just as she came into the sunlight she moves away. But to describe what she is doing as only moving would be an insult. She is not merely moving, for she is dancing to and fro in her living room. 

Just as calling it moving would be an insult, calling it dancing would be a shame. Because she is willowy in her dance as a ballerina should be but it’s not ballet. Or rather it is not just ballet, the man recognizes it as a hybrid of different dance styles infused with moves of different martial arts. The man can not get himself to look and or move away from the sight. 

The woman is basking in the endorphins running through her system, having just finished playing a few songs from one of her favorite plays and dancing while doing it. The woman should be tired, having woken up early, going for a run, a swim and some weight training before her performance in her living room. That’s when the woman looks up, out the window and sees her neighbor across the courtyard staring back at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I opened with a short, somewhat ambiguous chapter hoping to help pique your curiosity. I do not have any drafts laid out. I am planning on posting as I go. I will do my best to update as much as I can. This may be my story but I would like to hear your feedback and suggestions. I like other author's ideas on getting the reader's involved in polls, etc to help steer the story along. Don't worry I will not be so ambiguous and short in the chapters to come.
> 
> I am taking two of my favorite crime dramas and doing a crossover that I am sad has not happened yet in canon. I may just have some more crossovers from other shows, some characters, some references, etc. You'll just have to keep reading to find out.
> 
> Can anyone tell me where I got the title for this work from? First person to message me or comment as to where, gets to be the first to person to interact with my work. I'll let them come up with some prompts where they would like part of the story to go. and I will make a chapter using at least one of the prompts. 
> 
> I have no problem with criticism, I prefer constructive, but it doesn't have to be. If I have spelling, grammatical and or any other errors, please point them out to me.
> 
> Hope you enjoy my work!


	2. Aurora

Aurora Frost couldn't believe it. She was staring into the eyes of a handsome young man. She wasn't expecting an audience while she was winding down after her stop at the gym. She just wanted to dance and play a song or two from her favorite play 'The Phantom of the Opera'. But now her cheeks and ears were burning and she was sure that they were noticeable by her neighbor. Aurora couldn't help but closing her curtains to hide behind.

 

* * *

 

Spencer Reid couldn't believe it. The Beautiful young woman had caught him staring. Even worse was how embarassed she was, first her cheeks and then her ears flushed red. Lastly, she hurriedly closed her curtains to hide from him. Spencer's smile fell almost instantly, why must the 'Reid Effect' haunt him so? Was he so socially awkward that his neighbor now thought he was a peeping tom? 

Spencer Reid normally revelled in the way his mind worked, allowing him to make connections others more than likely would have missed. But he loathed it, when it caused him pain, especially socially. For he never had many friends, those that were his friends either didn't last long and or teased him often because he was different. She could have become a friend of his, maybe more he thought. but then the drunken monkey spoke in his head and said _Who are you kidding? You probably wouldn't have even spoke to her if given the chance._

Spencer thought great, I am speaking to myself again. Just another reason I am probably going to end up in a sanitarium like my mother. I have conversations in my mind. most people say they have a devil and an angel that try to guide them in life with their decisions. Spencer thought about his voices, one he calls the drunken monkey which is most akin to a devil, telling him to do dangerous, immoral and selfish things. The others, well he didn't want to think about the others, he needed to clear his head. Time to get out of his apartment.

 

* * *

 

 

After closing the blinds, Aurora took a long hot shower, hoping to get her handsome, hot neighbor out of her mind. Wait, _W_ _hen did I start thinking of him as hot_? Aurora asked herself. Aurora groaned, she did not like where this was leading, she didn't have much experience with guys and the little she did have wasn't good. The guys she seemed to attract were all nice when she first met them but they all eventually showed their true colors when they finally realized she wasn't going to 'put out' as some of the meatheads had so elegantly put it.

After finishing her shower, she dried off and dressed in her lazy clothes, her old military academy sweatshirt, some slightly baggy sweatpants and some mismatching socks. She enjoyed her mismatched socks while at home, because she sure couldn't have them at work. Especially since her new posting was at MCAF (Marine Corps Air Field) Quantico with the HMX-1 (Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron One). She couldn't believe she was not only the first female pilot in the history of the HMX-1 but the youngest as well.

Captain Aurora Frost knew that she probably wouldn't be transporting the President and or Vice President any time soon but she could very well be flying a helicopter in support of the President. She figured she would probably be flying the helicopters that were testing experimental improvements since that was the original origins of the HMX-1. She hoped, maybe even some experimental helicopters. But she would have to wait and see until tomorrow, when she reported for duty at MCAF Quantico.

Aurora then groaned, remembering she would be meeting her superiors for the first time. She knew it was a privilege to be the first in anything, but coming first in anything came at great cost. It meant she wouldn't know what to expect, her superiors wouldn't know what to expect, and her performance with the squadron would pave the way for future female pilots in the HMX-1. If her performance was positive and exemplary, it meant the Corps would start looking into more female pilot candidates in the HMX-1. But if her performance was anything less than positive and or exemplary, the Corps might shelve plans for female integration into the Squadron.

Aurora decided to go over her uniforms to make sure they were perfect for tomorrow and that all of her paperwork was in order. She knew she couldn't afford to make any impression that was less than positive and or outstanding. Aurora decided she needed some music to help her with this task, she went to her entertain center and played her 'Gladiator' Sountrack. Then she started the long, intensive and arduous process of inspecting, ironing, placing her ribbons, polishing her dress shoes and boots to shinier than a spit shine so that she can see her reflection in them, etc. 

 

* * *

 

Spencer got back to his apartment many hours later, in fact it was so late that not a single window was lit up in his apartment building. He set his alarm clock, threw his dirty clothers in his hamper and took a shower. Once out, he slipped on a pair of scrubs as his pajamas and climbed into bed. He needed to get some sleep before heading over to the BAU on the top floor of the building shared with the FBI Academy which was located at MCAF Quantico. _Hopefully we don't get a case tomorrow_ Spencer thought.

Just before closing his eyes to sleep, Spencer checked his watch just as it stroked midnight. _The witching hour is upon us, may all your dastardly dreams come true_ said his drunken monkey as he slowly drifted from consciousness to sleep. Luckily Spencer was thinking about his beautiful neighbor across the courtyard instead of what his drunken monkey said. Spencer was thinking he should try to sneak a peak at his neighbor before leaving for work in the morning. _  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not have any personal experience in the military. I am going off of information I got through talking with family and friends in the military, reading in books, online etc. So, I apologize if I make any mistakes in my writing.
> 
> I have nothing but respect to any and all service members of the armed forces who served honorably whether that be past, present and or future. I do not know whether or not the HMX-1 (yes, it is a real Helicopter squadron in the USMC, they are attached to MCAF Quantico, they are responsible for transporting the president and or vice president of the US when helicopters are involved. The X used to represent experimental, but that was dropped, now it is called Operational Test and Evaluation. )
> 
> http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/hmx-1/About.aspx
> 
> I do not know if there are female pilots in the HMX-1 in real life. But in my piece of fiction, Aurora is the first female pilot.


	3. The Writing on the W . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I go by 'Military Time' and thus the time of day will be written like that instead of the more commonly used AM/PM style. so 1AM will be 0100 all the way till 9AM or 0900. 1000 is 10AM, 1100 is 11AM and 1200 is 12PM (noon). any hour after noon but before midnight will be that hour plus 12. So 1PM will be 1300, 2PM will be 1400 and just like that all the way to 11PM is 2300. Midnite is 0000.
> 
> I hope this doesn't confuse Y'all!

Spencer woke up before his alarm like always. After years of taking care of his mother by himself as a young child, he never had a problem waking up early. Spencer looked at his alarm clock and turned it off, he had a little more than three hours to get work. Spencer firmly believed in Shakespeare's "Better three hours too soon than a minute too late", he just didn't take it that literally. So he walked to the kitchen, started his coffee maker, and then went to look out of his living room window. What he saw across the courtyard stunned him.

Spencer took a seat on the cushions in the bay window of his living room. On the windows of his beautiful neighbor's window was a drawing and some text. The drawing was of a female dancing and playing the violin just like one of the moves he had seen yesterday when she was in the sunlight. Next to the drawing was _It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor._ written backwards so that he could read it. And underneath was _You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. and YOU are the one who'll decide where to go_.

Spencer was pleasantly shocked and a little thrilled that she initiated a conversation with him after what happened yesterday. What kind of woman quotes Mr Roger's Neighborhood and Dr Seuss at the same time? Spencer sat in the bay window thinking until the coffee machine went off and stirred him from his thinking. He got up, filled up his mug two thirds full of coffee and filled the rest with sugar. Then he went and grabbed a dry erase marker from his white board station near the front door and went back to the window.

Spencer wrote _Hello neighbor_ and was going to write some more when he realized he needed to write backwards in order for his beautiful neighbor to be able to read it. He quickly erased it and wrote it backwards. Spencer then wrote Mr Rogers and Dr Seuss underneath. Not one to not respond in kind, Spencer wrote _Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever._ Once finished writing he looked at the clock and realized it was after 0630 already and he needed to get a move on if he was going to leave for work soon. He wished he was better at writing backwards because he had to erase and re-write his quote multiple times to get it backwards. 

 

* * *

 

 

Spencer walked into the empty BAU bullpen at 0810, later than he usually got to work. Even though he didn't need to be in until 0900, he knew that due to the BAU operating in a shared building with the FBI Academy which was housed on a Marine Corps base that delays were to be expected. With so many checkpoints there was a multitude of reasons for delays. And Spencer enjoyed starting his day reading for 15-30 minutes to relax before having to go over files from police departments all over the country asking for help. He wanted a little time of enjoyment in a place where he saw so much evil. 

So Spencer was reading and enjoying Homer's Iliad, the poem about the events of Achilles and King Aganemnon. Spencer was so caught up in his reading that he did not notice the BAU's Alpha Team's liason Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau or leader Aaron Hotchner (also Unit Chief of all four BAU teams) come in about ten minutes later. Fifteen minutes later, Spencer was interrupted by the one and only Derek Morgan "What a surprise, Pretty Boy is early and reading". Spencer replied "Did you know that reading may help prevent Alzheimer's?". Derek just waved off Spencer and headed to the break room to get coffee.

Spencer had just finished putting down his book when Emily Prentiss walked through the double glass doors. "Good Morning Reid, first time reading the Iliad?" Emily asked as she sat down at her desk.  Spencer replied "In fact it is my twelfth time reading it, did you know that there has been a debate between scholars over Homer's historical accuracy in his works . . ." But Emily interrupted "I asked if you had read it before not for a discussion on how accurate or not it was Reid. It's Monday Reid" _What does Monday have to do with anything_ Spencer thought to himself. _How many times have I told you not spew facts that others aren't interested in?_ the Drunken Monkey asked Spencer. _Prentiss, like a lot of others don't like Mondays because it is the beginning of the work week, so play time is over_ said the wise Raven in Spencer's head.

Just then JJ walked down to the Bullpen from her Office and started handing out everyone's case files and Spencer had to silence both the Drunken Monkey and the Wise Raven in his head so that he could get to work. Also to better keep an eye on Prentiss and Morgan, who though they were both sneaky by taking turns shoving a folder of their in his pile whenever he got up to go to the break room and or bathroom. You would think two FBI agents, let alone two Elite agents of the BAU would think that a genius with three doctorates and two bachelor degrees would notice his stack getting bigger and or not getting that much smaller in time. Especially when you factor in that said genius can read twenty thousand words a minute and thus can read through files much faster. Or did they forget the fact that he has an eidetic memory where he remembers everything that he sees.

 

* * *

 

 

But Spencer Reid is a kind man like his mother taught him to be, too kind if you ask some people. So Spencer lets it go, plus it helps hims slow his mind. It can be difficult for someone to have a mind such as Spencer Reid's, sometimes he can't slow his mind enough to relax or even sleep. Plus he figures that someday he will cash in on his kindness to his teammates and maybe then he wouldn't feel so taken advantage over. Spencer loves his teammates, they're his family, and he doesn't mind helping them out, but their actions do hurt him at times. Like dumping files on him on him without asking, it feels like they're sneaking behind his back, it tends to lead to thoughts that he might not be able to trust them. If they're sneaking him files, what else are they hiding and or trying to hide from him? 

Or how about when his teammates cut him off mid-sentence? Spencer understands that neurotypical people don't spout random facts like some high function Autism people do but highly trained professionals who get in the minds of people? Why can't they understand that he can't always see and or understand the social nuances that neurotypical people can? So it hurts, but he can hide it well and not because he is from Las Vegas. His teammates think Spencer gets his 'Poker Face' from being a native of Las Vegas, which has been associated with gambling for over half of a century. Alas, no, Spencer Reid gets his almost inhuman control over his micro expressions from raising his paranoid schizophrenic mother all by himself since he was seven years old when his father abandoned him.

 

* * *

 

 

Spencer is glad when his work day is over, he didn't want to be in the office any longer. Normally he could put up with and ignore his teammates when they annoyed him. But they had put a negative association with reading the Iliad and that was one of his favorite readings to clear his head. Now he wouldn't be able to read it until he could forget, which he couldn't, or compartmentalize that memory and no longer have that association. But there was light at the end of the tunnel, He hoped that his neighbor had seen his reply and maybe written back. He could use a nice distraction to help him get in a better mood.

 

With that happy thought in his mind, Spencer got into his mom's old Volvo Amazon and headed home. Spencer couldn't help but think of his pretty neighbor, and playing the images of her dancing while playing the violin left him smiling all the way home. Not even rush hour traffic full of drivers like Mr Wheeler could have made a dent in his smile.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Raven is most commonly associated with death, but Odin the Norse God had two Ravens who were very wise and other ancient symbolism has them as wise and or more positive than their modern common symbolism.
> 
> Mr. Wheeler is a character from Disney's 1950 animation short 'Motor Mania'. below is a link where you can watch it on youtube
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZgiVicpZGk


	4. Now You See Me

Aurora walks into her apartment, slams the door closed with her foot and tosses her keys hoping it lands where she can find it easy whenever she looks for them sometime in the future. Of all the of the officers in the Marine Corps that were helicopter pilots, why did it have to her training officer from when she attended her Advanced Flight Training. and of course she broke all of the records he had set when he had attended. Aurora knew she was in for a tough time because she is the first female pilot in this elite squadron but she did not expect and or need this new development. Aurora did not need her CO (Commanding Officer) holding a grudge against her because she broke his records.

Now that Aurora was finally home, she just wanted to relax and forget about her first day at MCAF Quantico. Aurora went to her entertainment center, picked out Disturb's Ten Thousand Fists album and played it through her surround sound. She hopped into her shower, hoping the near scalding hot water would help her forget. Once done with her shower, Aurora went to her kitchen and decided to make some comfort food, something her daddy taught her.

Aurora brought out some Eggs, Butter, shredded cheese and some slices of wholegrain bread. Aurora is making a dish she called 'Eggy over Bread', which her daddy made when she got sick. She hand shredded the bread slices into like one inch squares, placed the squares in a bowl with some shredded cheese over them, cooked the eggs to over easy and finally placed them on top. Aurora then took a fork, poked the eggs to release the liquid yolk, and mixed everything up.

Aurora then took her food to the living room and went to one of her favorite areas of her apartment and in fact the main reason she got an apartment here. The bay window, something rarely seen in apartment, but something she missed most about her childhood home. She sat down in the bay window to notice the drawing and quotes she had wrote this morning to her hot neighbor across the courtyard. This brought her a smile that not even one of her most favorite comfort foods could.

She then glanced across the courtyard to see that her neighbor had responded. Seeing that her neighbor had responded made her jaw drop, even more so that he responded to her with a quote in kind. I wonder if he will keep speaking with me? If I start a game with him, will he play back? If he does play, what game or games would he play? Hang Man? Riddles? Aurora's mind was starting to think really fast. Aurora took a breath, and knew she had to calm her mind, she couldn't afford to rush any decisions.

Aurora was erasing her drawing and quotes from her window when she noticed movement from her neighbor's window. He walked towards and near enough to his bay window that she could see him clearly. With his long hair and his professor like attire, Aurora couldn't help think he looked adorable. But then he started to do the unthinkable, he started to undress. First, was the sweater vest, then the tie and that's when, Aurora found out that her neighbor does not wear under shirts.

Aurora was glad that her neighbor doesn't wear under shirts because if he did she might not have gotten the show she got and seen the impressive physique she was very pleasantly surprised to see. Aurora wasn't sure what she looked like but she assumed she looked like one of those cartoon characters with their chin on floor, tongue rolled out on the floor and eyes bulging way past her eye sockets. She did know that her neighbor has unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned his pants and was going to pull his zipper down when he looked up and right into her eyes. The look of shock on his face was priceless, made even more so by the blush creeping up his cheeks and ears.

 

* * *

 

Spencer was glad to be back inside his apartment, that rush hour traffic could really try your patience at times. Spencer put his messenger bag down on the couch and walked towards the window where it was brighter. Normally he was quite comfortable in his clothes but at the moment they felt so, constricting. So off came the sweater vest, still not enough, now his tie and the top couple buttons on his collared shirt. Spencer still felt like it was constricting so he kept unbuttoning his shirt, took it off and then let it fall on the floor.

Here was where Spencer was conflicted, _Take off your pants, you know you'll feel so much better_ the Drunken Monkey was telling him. Spencer unbuttoned his pants while the Wise Raven was saying _It is one thing to answer your door shirtless if someone shows up unannounced. But to do so only in your boxer briefs is a bit voyeuristic, at least wait to change into some comfy shorts in your bedroom. Not take your pants off in the living room._ Spencer was about to start unzipping his pants while taking in what the Wise Raven said and he couldn't help get this feelinglike he was being watched.

Spencer looked up, through his window with the writing, through the window of his neighbor across the courtyard and directly into the eyes of his beautiful neighbor who had obviously been watching his impromptu, yet without meaning to put on a striptease for her. Her eyes were wide open, mouth slightly ajar, drool quite possibly sliding down the side of her mouth, the right side of her mouth curled up into an absolutely adorable smile. Spencer could feel the heat in his cheeks and ears spreading like wildfire.

Spencer didn't wait to see her reaction to seeing his too skinny body that no woman would ever appreciate. Spencer knew he was not like Morgan who could get any woman he wanted and seemed that he did. But not Spencer, he was the too skinny bookworm that no woman took interest in. Even JJ, your best friend couldn't handle you all the time, she sometimes interrupted you to stop your stammering and random fact spewing. At least JJ was nicer and more patient than most. But sometimes it stung worse when JJ did it because she was your best friend. 

Spencer, so embarrassed at getting caught almost stripping to solely his boxer briefs, decided to lose himself in a book in his spare bedroom turned office. Spencer decided on reading the Harry Potter series since he had no other new books to read. Spencer had been avoiding reading the series for a few reasons, he heard from others with similar tastes in reading that they were disappointed because they had expected a modern kind of The Lord of the Rings adventure. Also, he tended to binge read because of his reading speed, and with the last book coming out soon, reading the first six wouldn't be too bad as long as he didn't have his expectations high

Spencer fell asleep while reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire just as Harry was going to take on the Hungarian Horntail.

 

* * *

 

Aurora was shocked that her had neighbor caught her staring. She hadn't meant to but for some unknown reason she couldn't turn away. It was worse when he quickly left the room as if the room had hot coals for a floor. Was he embarassed of himself? That someone was appreciating his body? Aurora couldn't understand. Yes, his body wasn't stunning in typical western culture but his face was classically beautiful for a man.

And then there was his chest, abs, and arms. His clothing was just baggy enough that you couldn't see that his muscles were defined. And defined they were, sure he wasn't ripped but you could definitely see a six pack of abs, evenly sculpted shoulders and triceps. His chest wasn't huge but well defined and you could tell his muscles were bulky in size but wiry in strength.

She could imagine running her hands down his jaw, along his neck, down his chest and finally over his abs. _Down girl, you're getting ahead of yourself._ Aurora started to worry, when she started to get thoughts like this, it usually meant dreams would be involved when she slipped into sleep. And those dreams might make things even more awkward than they are right now. _Think, think Aurora, do you apologize? Do you make a joke about how you caught each other staring at each other? What is the best way of going about this?_

Aurora in the end decided that some shock, some awe, and some humility would be the route to go. She guessed her neighbor is a bit of an introvert and she would love to get him to come out of his shell a bit. Having been an introvert herself, Aurora knew she had to tread lightly with the amount of shock and awe she gave him. _Who other than an introvert would respond to a Mr. Rogers and a Dr Seuss quote with a quote of Gandhi?_ She needed something playful, like another quote from something from a children's book or tv show again. and then she could write something to shock him a bit. 

Aurora wrote _I was so upset, I forgot to be happy_ , hoping her neighbor would understand her reference. Now it's time for the shock, hopefully it's not too much _._ _Was it as good for you as it was for me?_ was written underneath. Aurora then went to sleep wondering about her neighbor, would he get her quotes and what she was trying to say? Would she dream of him tonight?

 

 

 


End file.
